Pubdate: Fri, 04 May 2001
Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL)
Copyright: 2001 St. Petersburg Times
Contact:  http://www.sptimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419
Authors: David Adams, Paul De La Garza

EU BACKS COLOMBIAN PEACE

MIAMI -- A controversial U.S.-backed counterdrug offensive in Colombia 
received a much-needed boost this week after the European Union pledged 
almost $300-million in funding for Colombia.

U.S. and Colombian officials hailed the announcement as a diplomatic 
victory for Plan Colombia, the much-maligned $7.5-billion project to crush 
the drug trade and bring peace to war-torn Colombia.

But European officials insist they want no part of the U.S.-financed 
military assault on Colombia's drug industry, instead limiting their aid to 
strengthening democracy and helping farmers who cultivate illegal crops to 
switch to legal production.

"We are supporting the peace process in Colombia. We are not supporting any 
military plans or activities whatsoever," said European Union External 
Relations Commissioner Chris Patten, who made the announcement in Brussels.

The European funds, he said, were intended to send "a strong signal of 
political support" for the peace effort of Colombian President Andres 
Pastrana, rather than support for the military anti-drug offensive.

Even so, U.S. and Colombian officials expressed satisfaction that Europe 
will help Colombia.

"Everybody's got to contribute to this in their own way. And we do what we 
do, others do what they do," said Marc Grossman, undersecretary of state 
for political affairs, who led a U.S. delegation in Brussels urging 
European support for Colombia.

Colombian officials said the European funds opened the way for 
implementation of $2.1-billion in non-military projects under Plan Colombia.

Luis Alberto Moreno, the Colombian ambassador to the United States, called 
the EU commitment "a turning point" in the search for peace in Colombia. 
The donors' agreement demonstrated "there is indisputable political support 
for the peace process," he said.

However, he recognized Europeans are still sour on the U.S. military role 
in Colombia.

European officials have made no secret of their misgivings about what they 
see as the plan's lopsided emphasis on a military solution to Colombia's 
problems. Last year Congress approved $1.3-billion for Plan Colombia, of 
which almost 80 percent was for military training and aerial eradication of 
drug crops.

"They (the Europeans) didn't agree with the strategy," said Adam Isacson, 
who follows U.S.-Colombia policy closely for the Center for International 
Policy in Washington. "They don't like fumigation. They don't think it 
works and they don't feel they should have to be the ones who mop after the 
mess."

But U.S. and Colombian officials say recent discussions have led to a 
change of heart in Europe.

"That has been the great achievement of Colombian diplomacy," said Mauricio 
Cardenas, Colombia's special envoy for Plan Colombia, who spent the last 
few months lobbying European governments. "There's much more understanding 
about the plan now. The Europeans are much happier with the strategy."

European officials deny their position has changed. In making the 
announcement Monday, the European Union's Patten said Europe favors "a 
comprehensive and balanced approach" to the drug problem, emphasizing that 
Europe supports manual eradication of drug crops rather than 
military-backed aerial crop spraying.

He added that any counterdrug policy "needs to be backed up by long-term 
alternative income-generating plans," as well as "the social needs of the 
population."

Patten said he hopes that the first European-funded projects could begin 
this year. EU funds would be largely directed at fostering local 
institutions, and groups promoting human rights, peace and social development.

The new European funds are also the result of recent U.S. efforts to make 
support for Plan Colombia more internationally palatable. U.S. officials 
have placed greater emphasis on social and economic aid in a new proposal 
being prepared for Congress.

President Bush announced at the Summit of the Americas in Quebec last month 
that he will seek $882-million for a follow-up to Plan Colombia known as 
the Andean Regional Initiative. Half will be for strengthening democracy 
and social development, including $146-million for Colombia.
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MAP posted-by: Beth